ADVANCING THE START

13-07-2018

THIS WEEK Temperatures have continued to soar over the Valley of Lambourn throughout the past few weeks and time has really flown by.  It's hard to believe the main group of winter horses are now back in their stables as of this week, getting their shoes put back on and beginning their road work.  So the journey towards the new season has very much begun...     REPORTS Boychick finished 2nd on his latest start for the yard at Worcester on Monday.  There was a very strong gallop throughout and this took him out of his comfort zone early on.  He didn’t travel as well as he has previously at Stratford, but when Harry asked him to make up ground leaving the far side, he picked up well.  He got on terms with the leaders in the home straight, but when Weightfordave went for home he couldn't quicken with him.  He stuck to his task well though and stayed on all the way to the line.  This was a good performance and we will see what the handicapper does before making a plan. ENTRIES Salto Chisco is set to have his second start of the season at Stratford on Sunday.  He ran well on seasonal reappearance at Newton Abbot last month, before getting tired in the soft ground.  He’s much sharper for his return, the sharp track and better ground suits and he looks competitively handicapped.  He should run well. Viognier holds her next entry at Worcester in a couple of Fridays time.  She was rush off he feet at Market Rasen over 2 miles, so the step up to 2 and a half around this more galloping track should suit her.  She’s been dropped 5lbs to a mark of 93 and we are hopeful she can produce an improved performance.   SHARES IN THE HARRY WHITTINGTON RACING CLUB 2018-19 ARE NOW AVAILABLE...   THIS SEASONS' CLUB PROSPECTS... HATTIE HOPKINSON Bought for £14k at the Horses In Training at Goffs at the end of May.  She is a lovely scopey, athletic filly with a very good pedigree and a cracking name.  She is a half Sister to Welsh National winner Monbeg Dude and there is black type all through the page.  Her Sire Jeremy boasts one of the best strike rates of winners to runners and was also the Sire of Our Connor.  She ran in 2 English point to points the Spring finishing placed 2nd and 4th.  She is a filly that will strengthen up plenty for a break this Summer and has the potential to make up into a smart filly in novice hurdles.  She will most likely start off in a bumper at the beginning of October. ECLAT DES BIEFFES Bought for £5k privately in Ireland is a 4 yo Gelding who has ran twice in two point to points where he jumped well, showed lots of speed and wasn't staying the 3 miles.  He has a good pedigree with lots of flat winners in the page.  Therefore the plan would be to drop him back into a 2 mile bumper in late September followed by a Winter of 2 mile novice hurdling.  He is a sharp, good looking athletic type by Enrique who is the Sire of Binocular.   Until next week...